By OkayGoal
Liverpool are reportedly weighing up a January move for Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu, according to Football Insider.
Who Is Pierre Kalulu?
The 26-year-old France international is valued at around £26m by Transfermarkt. He came through Lyon’s academy without making a senior appearance, then joined AC Milan in 2020. He won Serie A in 2021-22 and made over 100 appearances before moving to Juventus, where he has also reached a century of games.
Liverpool’s Defensive Concerns
Virgil van Dijk’s contract expires in the summer, Joe Gomez continues to struggle with injuries, and Jeremie Frimpong has found life difficult since arriving. That leaves Andoni Iraola short of options at centre-back and right-back.
Kalulu could cover both. Transfer journalist Pete O’Rourke said on the Transfer Insider podcast that the Frenchman is on Liverpool’s radar, though a move is far from certain. He described him as a consistent, versatile performer who can play centre-back, right-back or right wing-back.
Kalulu’s Numbers and Versatility
Kalulu averages 4.00 recoveries and 3.33 duels won per game this season. He has also played 92 matches at right-back, so he would not be learning the role on the job.
Our Opinion
Kalulu looks a sensible, relatively low-risk addition for depth. Players who can cover two problem positions are valuable in a congested season. Whether he has the quality to eventually succeed Van Dijk is more debatable, and Juventus may not sell cheaply midway through the campaign.